After a busy second day at AVN's Adult Entertainment Expo interviewing, taking pictures, and observing the Expo in general, I made it to the only event I always ink on my calendar every year; The Legends of Erotica Hall of Fame. This year the Hall of Fame honored Sunset Thomas, Tom Byron, Shane, Stephanie Swift, Jared Rutter, and a posthumous tribute to Gerard Damiano.

Each year the event takes place at Showgirl Video, located at 631 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV. The first person I recognized upon entering Showgirl Video was 2005 Carnal Medal of Honor winner Stevie Secret. Stevi recently lost her husband Steve (aka Arizona DJ) who passed away, and this was the first time I had seen her since then. Stevi will hopefully keep in touch with me so I can report news about her to all her fans.

Sunset Thomas was the first of the inductees to arrive and had her tits out and was flashing her pussy before she even made it up to the stage. The crowd of fans and press around her taking pictures was like moths attracted to a bright light - and a bright star she is!

Tom Byron comes in next and takes stage. Tom is greeted by Ray Pistol who is already up there preparing for the heavy, flat, wooden frames filled with cement that are to come in from outside.

Ray and Bill Margold, the organizers of the event, have set up a large black and white picture of Gerard Damiano looking through the eyepiece of a 35mm camera. There was an abundance of people who could not attend but wanted to contribute and did so by writing their thoughts and recollections of Gerard as a tribute to be read tonight.

Jill Nelson and Jennifer Sugar, the authors of ''John Holmes, a Life Measured in Inches'', who were sitting in the audience were introduced to the crowd by Bill. Look for a review of their book on Adult Industry News in the near future.

Jared Rutter was asked to come on stage to read a letter from Veronica Vera about Gerard Damiano. Jared is a very private person, praised by the late Jim Holliday as the best journalist in the adult business. Jared was called up from audience for another reason as well. This year he received the Carnal Medal of Honor.

Jared worked for Knight Publications at Adam Magazine and Adam Film World back in 1984. He was also editor of Adam Magazine. He was already established in the adult industry as a journalist when someone was needed to chair the XRCO (X Rated Critics Organization) and he appeared to be the perfect fit.

Jared, now working for AVN since 2003, had been with Adam Film World since 1980, and from 1984 until 2004 he was the Chairman of the XRCO. Jared stepped down when his new position at AVN no longer afforded him the time to devote to the XRCO. The only surprise, other than that of Jared, in him getting the Carnal Medal of Honor is why it took so long.

Madison Young, who is with Kink.com in San Francisco, was sent by Annie Sprinkle to read her letter of tribute to Gerard Damiano. She also read Jody Maxwell's letter. Bill Margold read Gloria Leonard's tribute letter, and Georgina Spelvin's which was one of the most heart-felt and touching.

Ron Jeremy then arrives and makes his way through the crowd to take the stage, followed a few minutes later by Stephanie Swift who also makes her way up there to the row of seats facing the audience.

Now Bill has all those on the stage sign the wall with markers. There are hundreds of recognizable signatures on the walls of Showgirl Video, where the inductions have taken place since well over a decade! The wall has signatures of talent ranging from the new kid just starting out, to legends from the golden age of porn, some that were new when they signed years ago, and some who may become legends in their own right someday.

Sunset decides to sign he wall kneeling in a chair centerstage with her beautiful ass mooning the crowd. Hoots and whistles erupt when it's noticed she's still not wearing underwear, Shane lifts her dress to show a better view of her pussy from behind.

Inducting Sunset into the Hall of Fame is Ron Jeremy. Sunset thanks Larry Flynt who produced her last movie, ''Into the Sunset''. She is looking forward to directing her own movies now. Ron talks about the first time he had sex with Sunset was in her last movie.

Sunset was the first contract girl who did both porn and escorted. She was signed with VCA at the time, and worked at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch. Sunset's husband, Kent Wallace, stated she was ''Never afraid to do what she was compelled to do''.

Sunset puts boobs in cement. It's pretty obvious she loves to be naked and everyone there seemed to really love it too! Sunset gets her golden rose and holds it up for the crowd to see.

Stephanie Swift, who appears to be a quiet fire who's embers burn hot and deep, has her turn in the spotlight. Stephanie was inducted by Tom Byron. Tom said of their first meeting, ''We fucked on a boat... I think I fucked you in the ass..'' and goes on to tell of the last time he worked with the Wicked contract girl was for his award winning series in ''Seasoned Players 6''.

Stephanie strips down to a thong, with her gloriously long full head of hair cascading down her back. She steps in and Anthony Pecchio, head PAW volunteer and all around good guy, takes her hands and helps lower her so she can leave her ass print in cement. ''Damn, it's gonna be cold!'', she says as her feet hit the wet gritty mud. As she does prints of her feet and ass in the cement Rebecca Anderson whispers to me that she's getting a cement fetish. Read Rebecca's column ''Freaky by the Bay'' here on AINews. Stephanie then gets her rose.

Tom Byron's turn. Bill says of Tommy, ''One of the greatest 'kids' is now going into the Hall of Fame,'' and talks about the early years when Tom was new. Bill gleefully shows an early casting picture of Tommy naked and erect, commenting on his virility.

Tom then addresses the crowd saying, ''I'll keep doing it if you keep buyin' it...'' then puts his hands in cement. All the girls to this point have gotten a gold rose, but Tom, being a legend swordsman, is symbolically presented with a little sword (which looks to me like a letter opener).

Bill then read Greg Zeboray's letter about Shane. Greg Zeboray is ''the industry insurance agent'' and has sold insurance to companies for shoots and health insurance to talent. A great letter from a fan about Shane was also read to the audience at this time. Shane still looks as cuddly as a puppy, and was called such by Bill. Shane steps into the cement, then puts her hands in, and gets her rose.

As I look around the room I see Alexandra Silk and Luc Wilder are in the audience. Seated in the center is newbie Lyssa Lee, who is one of the shyest girls I've run into. She didn't want to take the stage with the others. She doesn't seem to want to be in the spotlight - maybe having sex in front of the camera wouldn't be a good choice for her. She turned a shade of red and covered her face with her hand when Bill introduced her from the stage.

Thus ended the main part of the show inducting this year's ''Historic Handful'' into the Legends of Erotica Hall of Fame. Naked girls continue the show by dancing for dollars for those who wish the event would never end. Next year two of the inductees will be Peter North and Jill Kelly. We will announce the rest of the 17th annual Hall of Fame inductees before the January 2010 event.

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